Before Israel’s Olympic men’s soccer team took the field against Paraguay on Saturday, a group of pro-Hamas activists appeared to have made “anti-Semitic gestures” and booed while Israel’s national anthem played.
Palestinian fans were filmed shouting slurs, booing and apparently giving the Nazi salute during Israel’s national anthem.
Olympics Palestinian fans were filmed giving the Nazi salute and shouting “Heil Hitler” during Israel’s national anthem. This hate must end. @Olympics @XFrance #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/3rfcMoqMus
— Eretz Israel (@EretzIsrael) July 29, 2024
On Monday, Olympic organizers told Sky News they were aware that “a banner bearing a political message was displayed and anti-Semitic gestures were made.”
“Paris 2024 strongly condemns these acts,” the statement read. “A complaint has been lodged by Paris 2024, which is at the disposal of the authorities to assist with the investigation.”
On Tuesday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said, “We obviously deplore that,” “It has not place in sport, it has no place amongst the watching fans.”
How can you be “against genocide” and boo the song that Jews sang when they were liberated from concentration camps?
So interesting how the world “forgets” the history of our anthem, Hatikvah (The Hope). I guess it’s more convenient. pic.twitter.com/kIUyWJPluq
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) July 29, 2024
This type of rabid, public anti-semitism, which apparently carries no consequences, is part of why Israeli athletes have had to step up security protections.
Israel’s minister of culture and sport, Miki Zohar, spoke with The Telegraph about the increasingly violent threats and the additional security needed from armed Shin Bet agents.
“We know there are threats (against the team), but we don’t want to talk about it, Zohar said.“We try our best to make sure the athletes feel free but also safe and not afraid. We don’t want them to notice the security guards too much. We want them to feel confident so they can do their job.”
The anti-Israel behavior extends beyond the stands and directly into competitions.
Over the weekend, Tajikistan’s Nurali Emomali defeated Israel’s judoka Baruch Shmailov in judo.
When the match was over, the victorious Emomali refused to shake Shmailov’s hand and instead allegedly shouted ‘Allah Akbar’ at him.
Shmailov’s prior opponent, Abderrahmane Boushita from Morocco, also refused to shake hands with Shmailov.
